DU's biologist chairs Montana water resources nonprofit

Abby Dresser on Montana Aquatic Resources Services board

Ducks Unlimited Biologist Abby Dresser is chairing the board of a nonprofit organization that works across Montana to restore and protect the state's precious water resources. Dresser joined the Montana Aquatic Resources Services (MARS) board of directors in 2013.

She works as a DU biologist in Montana in partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. Dresser has over 10 years of experience as a wetland scientist and watershed restoration professional specializing in protection and restoration of wetlands and streams.

MARS runs Montana's only In-Lieu Fee Program, which provides compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to Montana wetlands and streams. Collection of mitigation fees is an innovative approach to fund and implement restoration work in concert with more traditional conservation and restoration funding. MARS also has a Channel Migration Easement program that offers landowners an opportunity to sell the right to armor and reinforce riverbanks that are within the river's 100-year channel migration zone.